The Times reports today on a recent poll, which shows that Labour continues to maintain a clear lead over the Conservatives.
Mr Blair will take comfort, however, from the Populus poll for The Times, which puts Labour support at 39 per cent, up five points on early August, with the Tories two points up at 34 per cent. The Liberal Democrats, at 19 per cent, are down six points from their previously high figure. The poll also shows that Mr Blair’s rating has picked up and he is again the most highly rated party leader.Things may well change as Blair has a tough time ahead of him: Parliament returns to work this week and the unions look set to give Blair a hard time over his plans for public sector reform at the TUC conference in Brighton.
Nevertheless, Blair's premiereship has so far survived the war in Iraq and the Hutton inquiry, it seems unlikely that the Conservative Party or the unions will be able to land any telling blows.
The next general election is presumably a long way off, and I rarely venture comment on British politics, but at the moment it doesn’t look to me like there’s much standing between Tony Blair and a third term in office.
